Increase to 7.5mg

Hi I've been on venlafaxine 187.5mg and olanzapine 5mg for a couple of years now for severe anxiety and panic, due to a lot of stresses in my life recently my anxiety has flared up again with avengence so after an emergency visit to see my physc he has increased my olanz to 7.5mg, this was 12 days ago now and I'm still not feeling much better, he's also prescribed me Diaz 2mg to help until the increase kicks in which I am needing to take, I'm really struggling to function at the minute with this deliberating anxiety which is hard as my son has special needs and requires a lot of care. Reading up olanzapine I know it takes a while to kick in but I guess I'm just after some reassurance as at the minute I'm feeling very alone and scared. ××

Hi Nicola
Sorry you're not feeling so good.
I'm on Ven the same as you,and Olanzapine.
I was on 5mg for a while then had a relapse and it was increased to 10,which did the trick.Maybe that would help you?
I remember you helping me when I had increases in Ven and just wanted to say you will get there,it can just take a while to find the best dose.
I would go back to your doc if you find you're still struggling.
From my personal experience, any increase in Olanzapine has been fast acting,I've noticed a difference after just a day or so.
Sending you a hug,let's know how you get on :hugs:

Thank-you for replying, I'm feeling very scared at the minute and spend most of my time crying, I have another appointment with my physc on Thursday so will see what he says. I've had a tremendous amount of pressure and stress with my son and I think everything has just got on top of me ×××

10 mg might just do the trick hun.
My anxiety was sky high and it worked for me .tc xx

Do you take it in one dose? I currently take 2.5mg in the morning and 5mg at night, my anxiety is through the roof too ×××

I take it in one dose at night x

Thank-you, I did speak to my physc on the phone last week and he suggested I increase it to 10mg but I was reluctant but I'm tempted to do it myself as I'm hardly functioning with this anxiety. Thank-you so much for replying ×××

You're welcome hun.
Let's know how you get on.You'll get there I'm sure.
Its been a lifesaver for me xx

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Originally Posted by nicola1980

venlafaxine 187.5mg and olanzapine 5mg for a couple of years now for severe anxiety and panic, due to a lot of stresses in my life recently my anxiety has flared up again with avengence so after an emergency visit to see my physc he has increased my olanz to 7.5mg

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Was any thought given to also raising the venlafaxine dose up to the recommended maximum 225mg, perhaps even a little higher?

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this was 12 days ago now and I'm still not feeling much better, he's also prescribed me Diaz 2mg to help until the increase kicks in

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I think the olanzapine dose needs to be increased to at least 10mg, and 2mg diazepam is a tiny dose. Given how stressed you are atm, more decisive action is needed, imho.

thank-you, there has been no mention of increasing my ven but I was going to bring that up with my physc tomorrow too. I think I am going to have to increase to 10mg of olanz too as I'm desperate at the min, I spoke to my gp on the phone yesterday who has increased my Diaz until I see my physc tomorrow as I'm barely functioning due to this horrendous anxiety and I'm my sons main carer who has very complex needs so I need something. Thank-you for taking your time to reply ×××

Well I've got my physc appointment at 12 so will see what he suggests altho I have felt slightly calmer the last 2 days but still very shaky ××

How did it go? :)

Hi he has increased me to 10mg, I've already took 2.5mg this morning so got to take 7.5mg tonight then tomorrow take 10mg at night, I'm very nervous and praying it helps ××

Hi Nic, so sorry to hear you are struggling at the moment, sending you big hugs xx

Thank-you Michelle ×× I feel like a frightened little girl at the minute 😢 how are you? ××

I know what your going through it's awful being crippled by anxiety. I hope your increase will bring you some relief. I've never tried it so have no experience to offer I'm afraid. From what I've read it sounds good for anxiety so hopefully the increase will help.
I'm going through a tough spot too but trying to get through it without Meds. 1 because I have a medication phobia and 2 I seem to get awful withdrawal effects from most of the Meds I've tried. I recently came off diazepam after taking a low dose for a number of years and felt dreadful withdrawal effects. I'm into over 3 months off now and some days better than others. When it's the week before my period thou my anxiety sky rockets so must be hormone related anxiety too. I stopped the ven a long time back. I'm having intensive Cbt now once a week a lady comes to my home, seems to be helping, she's teaching me how to cope with anxiety without Meds. I still wake every morning with that horrible churning stomach every morning and fast heartbeat but as the day goes on I use distraction techniques and I'm booking myself on a Mindfullness course. Exercise helps. I've basically got to not fight the anxiety but accept it and realise it can't hurt me. Learning to accept it is helping.
How is your son doing now? I'm here if ever you want to chat xx

Moving up to 10mg helped me a lot Nicola so keeping my fingers crossed for you.
It worked quite quickly as well.
Tc xx

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Originally Posted by Michelle1

I know what your going through it's awful being crippled by anxiety. I hope your increase will bring you some relief. I've never tried it so have no experience to offer I'm afraid. From what I've read it sounds good for anxiety so hopefully the increase will help.
I'm going through a tough spot too but trying to get through it without Meds. 1 because I have a medication phobia and 2 I seem to get awful withdrawal effects from most of the Meds I've tried. I recently came off diazepam after taking a low dose for a number of years and felt dreadful withdrawal effects. I'm into over 3 months off now and some days better than others. When it's the week before my period thou my anxiety sky rockets so must be hormone related anxiety too. I stopped the ven a long time back. I'm having intensive Cbt now once a week a lady comes to my home, seems to be helping, she's teaching me how to cope with anxiety without Meds. I still wake every morning with that horrible churning stomach every morning and fast heartbeat but as the day goes on I use distraction techniques and I'm booking myself on a Mindfullness course. Exercise helps. I've basically got to not fight the anxiety but accept it and realise it can't hurt me. Learning to accept it is helping.
How is your son doing now? I'm here if ever you want to chat xx

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Hi, you've done so well getting off the ven and Diaz, that must have been tough going. I also have a medication phobia so I get myself into a right panic whenever my meds are altered and start looking for side effects/withdrawals etc...I'm my own worst enemy at times!! Pleased to here your having cbt I've never been offered that but my physc did mention mindfulness might be beneficial to me.
Things have been pretty tough with my son, he's now been diagnosed with ocd as well as chronic anxiety and asd and I've literally had to fight for support for him. After 9 months of fighting I've finally managed to get him an EHCP (education, health and care plan) which will secure him support until he is 25, he's currently 16 and just about to start his gcse's so as you can imagine things are very tough for him, he had to drop 3 gcse subjects earlier in the year and go on a part time timetable for school as he just can't cope with full time. We've secured him a place at college for September though on a 3 day course and now with the EHCP he will receive a lot more support. It has been the truly hardest thing I have ever had to go through seeing him suffer but he has an appointment with a child physc in July to look at if a low dose of an AD will help him especially with his anxiety and ocd as he gets terrible obsessions and rituals. I think I have been on auto pilot for the past few months and now I've crashed and burnt out, he lacks a lot of simple life skills so his care needs can be very complex but again now this EHCP is coming into place I'm hoping for help with that.
It's been lovely to hear from you again :bighug1: ×××

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Originally Posted by aprilmoon

Moving up to 10mg helped me a lot Nicola so keeping my fingers crossed for you.
It worked quite quickly as well.
Tc xx

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Thank-you, I took my 7.5mg last night to make me up to 10mg yesterday and tonight I will take my 10mg. I still didn't sleep well last night though and was up at 3 😪 I still feel a bit shaky this morning so have had a Diaz which has helped. I'm just keeping my finger crossed it helps.
Thank-you for your support, it really means a lot ×××

How are you feeling today Nicola?

Well day 2 of my increase to 10mg and I am significantly calmer, the shakes have just about stopped and the anxiety has lowered tremendously....touch wood! My only concern is I'm having the most weird vivid dreams :scared15: I've been awake on and off since 2.30 this morning with them, do these pass? I do dream anyway on the ven but not to this extent! Also the weight gain is worrying me a bit, I am actually underweight at the minute due to being so poorly with the anxiety but I'm just worried I'm going to pile it on, I didn't on 5mg but I was careful with what I ate? Thank-you ×××

Yes I get vivid dreams as well,but not every night,I think that will wear off a bit as time goes on.So glad you're feeling the benefit :)
I think if you're still careful what you eat you'll be fine,in fact I've managed to lose nearly 3 and a half stone since I've been on this dose,just by eating healthy.
I'm confident that you'll continue to feel much better now.xx

Thank-you so much, the dreams have got significantly worse especially last night when I took my first full 10mg instead of splitting the dose am and pm, they are just quite unsettling. That's brilliant you've managed to loose weight as I've read all the horror stories about weight gain....good old Dr Google!! I am very careful with what I eat as I did slimming world a few years ago and lost 2 stone so I will just carry on and cross my fingers! I just hope I continue to improve as the anxiety is so frightening and I was barely functioning ×××

So pleased to hear you are feeling a bit better xx
You are doing a wonderful job getting the help for your son. That takes a lot of strength. Your braver than you know and you will get better.
Take care my friend xx

Thank-you Michelle that means a lot :hugs: unfortunately I don't feel very strong at the min 😢
I felt so much better yesterday that I think I overdid things, I went off rushing about shopping etc and then when I got home I had a bit of a wobble and went a bit anxious and shaky, I've not got much of an appetite either so not eating much so don't think that helps. I had another night of vivid dreams which kept me awake from 2.30am again :scared15: really hope they pass soon as very unsettling, am still needing the occasionally Diaz especially in the mornings but it's only my 3rd day and 2nd day of the full 10mg instead of splitting it am and pm ×××

How are you getting on Nicola?
Hopefully things have continued to improve xx

Hi I'm certainly feeling a lot better, the anxiety has lessened tremendously, I'm still feeling very unnerved by it all tho. My sons currently sitting his gcse's which he's not coping with too well especially as in this mornings English exam he answered the wrong question bless him 😢 so he's come home in a right state but again it's lack of support from the school so I've been on the phone trying to ensure that it doesn't happen again..sigh...it feels like it's never ending but this time last week there is no way I could've coped with it so thingaapd improving ×××

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Hi I'm certainly feeling a lot better, the anxiety has lessened tremendously, I'm still feeling very unnerved by it all tho. My sons currently sitting his gcse's which he's not coping with too well especially as in this mornings English exam he answered the wrong question bless him 😢 so he's come home in a right state but again it's lack of support from the school so I've been on the phone trying to ensure that it doesn't happen again..sigh...it feels like it's never ending but this time last week there is no way I could've coped with it so things are improving ×××

That's good to hear.
My eldest daughter has Aspergers and I remember how difficult it was to get her the support she needed so I understand how stressful it can be.
Hope things continue to improve for you.x

Thank-you, it is typically aspergers my son has but it all comes under ASD now and he's recently been diagnosed with OCD as well. It's so hard getting them the support. If you don't mind me asking how is your daughter now? I get very scared for his future ×××

She's 29.She lives in supported housing with 3 others around the same age who also have autism.
The carers are specially trained to deal with their difficulties and she has a good quality of life there.
They're going to Spain for a week to celebrate her birthday later in the year,and go to cinema,shopping ect.
Its been a long journey though to get to where we are,and took a lot of fighting for.x

Thank-you, I'm so pleased your daughter is getting on OK as the future is one of my concerns for my son, we have been told that he will probably not be able to lead an independent life but hearing how your daughter is has reassured me that it can be possible to some degree ××

How are you getting on Nicola? X

Hi I'm doing so much better thank-you altho I have had a wobble this weekend but it has been my time of the month and I always get a bit anxious and shaky when I'm due and on my period but compared to how I was a few weeks ago there has been a huge difference, last week I had a great week, no anxiety or anything then bam my period was due and it started again but no where near as bad as I was but I did start to panic a bit altho I knew what was causing it. I've got a lot of meetings coming up for my son and they are playing on my mind plus he's sitting his gcse's at the min which I'm sure your aware with your daughter it's a very challenging time but I'm coping with things a lot better than I was. Thank-you for asking. How are you? ×××